1. Technical Field
The present application generally relates to payment cards, and in particular, to activating payment cards.
2. Related Art
Currently, users of payment services, such as PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., can obtain a payment card that enables the user to make a purchase at a physical point of sale (POS) by swiping the payment card through a card reader. Such cards typically have a magnetic strip that allows a POS reader to read information contained in the strip, such as a card or account number. This information is communicated to the card provider or other service provider for processing the payment.
Typically, a user is sent a card through the mail, with an embossed account number as well as a magnetic strip encoded with the account number. Because the card is mailed, it may take the user several days to receive the card, resulting in a delay for the user to use the card for payments.